Avoid clichés with these romantic gift ideas for Valentine's Day

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong with a box of chocolates or flowers on Valentine’s Day. The clichés are clichés for a reason, and who doesn’t love being the envy of the office when a surprise bouquet of flowers turns up?

However, the fact is that flowers wilt and chocolates get eaten. Even a gourmet meal, one of the cornerstones of the romantic event, lasts only a couple of hours. 

Fortunately, there are loads of alternative gift ideas for romantics available — gifts you can keep enjoying without an expiration date. We’ve searched the web for the best of the best, keeping in mind that not all couples define “romance” the same way.

For some people, nothing says “I love you” like a gift that literally says “I love you.” Others prefer the message spelled out in other ways, like through an activity that can be done together, or an item that shows you really "get" their personality. Some people embrace their inner cheeseball all-year-round, lavishing their significant other with adorable gifts on a weekly basis. While others are only prepared for this level of corny statement-making once a year, so it's time to make it count. 

We’ve done the hard work and picked gifts that suit partners at every stage of a relationship, from couples who have built lives together, to those who are still charting that tricky terrain between “casual hookup buddy” and something more serious. Do you live with your boo, or are they hundreds of miles away? Somewhere in between? We’ve got ideas for that, too.

These are the best romantic gifts for Valentine's Day in 2025.